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Descendants of Jack Griscom

36.CLEMENT ACTON8 GRISCOM (JOHNDENN7, WILLIAMIII6, WILLIAMII5, ANDREWII4, TOBIAS3, ANDREW2, JACK1) was born May 15, 1841 in Philadelphia, and died in Haverford,Pa.He married FRANCES CANBY BIDDLE June 18, 1862 in Salem, NJ.Notes for CLEMENT ACTON GRISCOM:(John Denn, William III, William II, Andrew II, Tobias, Andrew I, Jack)- Probably the most notable individual Griscom, with the exception of Betsy Ross, Clement Acton was one of America’s wealthiest and most influential men and was one of the first rich Northern families to purchase large plantations in Florida.The Griscom’s ‘Horseshoe Plantation’ was successful and profitable. His estate was appraised and verified at overfive million dollars in the late 1800’s, and his name is the first of the wealthy Griscom’s that can be seen today in listings of American Dynasty Families, succeeded by the name f his grandsons, Bronson Winthrop and Lloyd Preston. Unfortunately, the tremendous wealth he accruedin his lifetime barely lasted through his grand-children’s generation and was all but exhausted by the early 1900’s. He held a total of ten titles and decorations in his lifetime, one from royalty, and was considered a great man in his personal as well as professional life. Raised a Quaker, he finished schoolat 16 at Friends Academy. At the same age he took a job as an office clerk at the great shipping house of Peter Wright and Sons. At 22 he was given a partnership in the company and under his tutelage business and profits increased dramatically. The companwas able to purchase more vessels, thus becoming a larger and more reputable company and Peter Wright and Sons eventually became the Old American Line, a larger and more prominent shipping company. Clement Acton Griscom had close business ties with King Leopold of Belgium and it was mainly through that association that led to the formation of the INC, International Navigation Company, which eventually took over the Old American Line. On May 13, 1871 Clement Acton was elected vice-president of the INC. Seventeen years later he was elected president. At that time the INC controlled 26 ocean steamships, one of the largest in the world. In 1886 INC purchased the Inman Line, which led to the acquisition of even more ships. Another of Clement’s valuable contributions to the shipping trade was his introduction of the ‘twin screw’ system, enabling the vessels to be more water tight than ever and practically unsinkable. The ships ‘New York’ and ‘Paris’ were the first to receive the twin screw system and were among the most popular ships to board in Victorian society. Clement Acton also attained legislation by Congress which would allow INC’s ships to sail under American Registry. During the Spanish-American War INC’s ships were loaned to the government. He married Frances Canby Biddle, of a wealthy Philadelphia family who also claimed historical lineage, via the Daughters of the American Revolution, through their familial association with Betsy Griscom Ross and John Claypoole. Frances was vice-president General of the Pennsylvania chapter of the DAR, #3248. Clement Acton Griscom’s various titles and decorations are as follows: 1) 1871 Vice president of the International Navgation Company 2) 1888 President of the INC 3) 1889 Delegate to International Marine Conference 4) 1902 President of the International Mercantile Co. 5) Decorated Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau by the Queen of Holland following a rescue by the crew of the ship ‘St. Louis’ which saved 212 men, women and children from a disabled Dutch steamship. 6) Legion of Honor by the French Government 7) President of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers 8)Upon resignation of above made an honorary associate 9) Honorary member of the British Institute of Pennsylvania Railroad Co. 10) Member of the Society of Colonial Wars of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Clement Acton’s home of 62 acres was built in 1891 on Laurel Lane in Haverford, Pennsylvania. It is named ‘Dolabran’ or ‘dollar brand’, after a family seat in Wales. It is considered prime real estate ofthe Philadelphia Mainline and an architectural tourist attraction. Children of Clement Acton Griscom and Frances Canby Biddle are: i. John Acton Griscom ii. Helen Biddle Griscom iii. Clement Acton, Jr. B. 6/20/1868 m. Genevieve Sprigg Ludlow(daughter of General William Ludlow) on 9/18/1889. Capitalist, director of a number of financial and industrial organizations. Clement Acton, Jr.Was a member of Chamber of Commerce in New York. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Pennsylvania Society Sons of the American Revolution, Society of Colonial Wars. Graduated A.B. University of Pennsylvania, 1887. iv. Rodman Ellison Griscom b. October 21, 1870 - Attended Haverford College, which was founded by his ancestor John Griscom. Received his Bachelor of Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania. He was the manager ofthe INC for some time and left to be part of the Philadelphia banking house Bertron, Griscom Company, Inc. Member of Society of Colonial Wars, Sons of the American Revolution of Pennsylvania, Society of Naval Architechts and Marine Engineers, director of the Philadelphia-Girard National Bank and the Western Savings Fund Society. Married Anna Starr February 17, 1897, who was daughter of Edwardand Mary Sharpless Starr and member of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America. It was Anna Griscom who commissioned the ‘Griscom Family Tree’ that is in circulation today. It is said that Anna ‘doodled’ the shape of the tree as it was drawn and commissioned the genealogical research as a gift to Clement Acton, Jr. in 1898. This tree was re-drawn by the original architect until 1939, when he passed.All ‘copies of the ‘Griscom Tree’ after that date were tracings completed by Joshua Fishe, an architect from Philadelphia who later removed to Florida.Drawings and tracings from the original architectare very valuable today but nearly impossible to find. Tracings by Joshua Fishe, though no longer in circulation, are more plentiful and were sold as a souvenir item from the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia until 1976. More About CLEMENT ACTON GRISCOM:Burial: unknownChildren of CLEMENT GRISCOM and FRANCES BIDDLE are:

Notes for CLEMENT ACTON GRISCOM JR.:Notes for Clement Acton III: Educated at St. Marks School in Saintborough, MA. Received his degree of Bachelor of Arts from Yale. Was second lieutenant in the Reserve Corps. At an early age showed a pronounced skill towards finance and cultivated it at the banking house of Lee Higginson and Co. of Boston, NY and Chicago. Later at Edward B. Smith and Co., a leader in Philadelphia.